


I'll Walk Through Hell With You

by CriticalRolemance (LiveLaughLoveLarry)



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Campaign 1 (Critical Role), Curse Breaking, Demon Deals, Demonic Possession, Gen, Negotiations, Protectiveness, Threats of Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-22 01:48:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22674202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiveLaughLoveLarry/pseuds/CriticalRolemance
Summary: Percy fails his wisdom saving throw against Orthax, so Vex’halia screams a demon into submission. As you do. Just normal Vox Machina things.
Relationships: Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III & Orthax, Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Vex'ahlia
Comments: 8
Kudos: 158





	I'll Walk Through Hell With You

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by [ this Tweet](https://twitter.com/Crithaus/status/1218292506401693697) which I decided I needed to make happen, and then proceeded to not touch for three weeks, before speed-writing almost this whole thing in one night at 2am. I hope you have fun because I sure as hell did.
> 
> Title from "Stand By You" by Rachel Platten.

Vex is still dizzy from blood loss, but she is clearheaded enough to snap to attention when Percy walks up to Lady Briarwood, smoke streaming from his clothes, and presses his gun to her head.

“You changed the deal.” There is a roughness to Percy’s voice, understandable after what he’s been through today -- what they’ve all been through -- but it wasn’t there a minute ago. She wonders if it’s meant to scare Lady Briarwood, or if it’s his own emotion. She’s about to ask him what deal she made, when he speaks again. “Take her name off the gun.”

Suddenly it is very, very clear that Percy is not addressing the badly bleeding woman on the floor in front of him. Vex looks around at the group, seeing her confusion and concern mirrored on their faces. Scanlan says something, makes a joke, tries to lighten the moment. No one laughs. 

“Things have changed,” Percy says, lifting the gun away from Lady Briarwood. “We need to talk.”

“Percy-”

“Who is he-”

“Shhh!” Vax steps closer to Percy, his posture tense and ready. His hands are empty, but Vex knows better than anyone how quickly a weapon can materialize in his grip. 

“Did I even want revenge before I talked to you?” The question is shock mixed with pain, confusion mixed with anger. “Did I? I don’t remember anymore.” 

Vex tries to step forward, but Keyleth grips her hand tightly, like an anchor -- though which of them is anchoring which, Vex couldn't begin to say. She tries to speak, to say something, she doesn’t know what, but her voice is trapped in her throat. 

“What does she die for?” Percy asks. He sounds lost. He sounds frightened and hurt and alone. “What do I even need? I want my country. I want my sister! I’ve killed two of those who have wronged me and... nothing is better. Nothing feels better, nothing is avenged.”

Hope. Hope swells in Vex’s chest, in a way it hasn’t bloomed since Percy first started acting… haunted, is perhaps the best word for it. It had seemed like what he wanted, and it had sounded so reasonable, this quest of retribution, so they had agreed without a second thought. Without even pausing to ask if there was something else going on. 

“What is this worth to you?” Percy asks, his voice rising in volume as he presses the gun to Lady Briarwood’s head again. Her eyes are closed, patiently awaiting whatever is to come. 

Vex’s heart jumps into her throat as Percy pulls the gun back again, this time placing the barrel at his own temple. She can feel as much as hear the collective gasp, but no one so much as dares move. They don’t know what horror Percy is fighting, but they know -- they are powerless to be more than witnesses right now. If he chooses to pull that trigger -- or if whatever he’s fighting does it for him…

The gun swings from Lady Briarwood’s head to Percy’s to Lady Briarwood’s. “Maybe I will,” Percy says, his voice dark and dangerous. 

“Percival,” Vex’s voice still catches, but she forces it out. “Don’t.”

She can hear Cassandra’s voice from a few feet away, echoing the words. Percy doesn’t look at them, still staring a hole in Lady Briarwood, and yet seeming to not quite see her. He hears them, though, raising a hand to silence them. He’s still there, somewhere. He can be reached. 

“That deal was a soft deal,” he hisses. There are layers in his voice now, echoes that send shivers down Vex’s spine. “It was a dream. It was a vision.” He pauses, breathing hard. “I need more from you if you want anything from me. I don’t trust you anymore. Besides.” He squeezes the trigger, and a scream catches in Vex’s throat as -- nothing happens. “The gun’s broken anyway.” He drops it on the ground, the clang of metal on stone loud enough to make everyone jump. “I’m not satisfied. I want my money back."

“Percy,” Grog says, a rare uneasiness in his voice. “Who are you talking to?”

And then Percy’s hand moves for his back. For the other gun.

“Stop him, Grog!” Vex shouts the words before she entirely realizes what she’s doing, and Grog obeys almost as quickly. Percy struggles against Grog’s grip, his movements rough and jerky. Daggers are in both of Vax's hands now as he circles, almost fading into the shadows that seem to bloom from every corner of the tunnel.

Vex steps towards Percy on legs that desperately want to give way beneath her. “Percival Frederickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III,” she says, her voice trembling, the full name uneasy on her tongue. “You will fight this monster inside of you!”

For a moment, Percy doesn’t move. Then he turns, slowly, and Vex shudders as he looks at her with eyes that are pure black, not even a speck of white. And when he speaks, it is with a guttural, growling voice that she does not recognize.

“Percival isn’t home, child,” he says. “This one is mine now.”

Vex blinks, and suddenly Percy is standing just feet in front of her, Grog looking slightly dazed on the ground. Vex’s bow is up before she realizes what she’s doing, but her aim falters as she draws. This is  _ Percy _ . It might not be him right now, but to look down an arrow shaft at him… feels wrong. 

“You can’t have him,” she says, her voice sounding weaker than she wants it to. “He’s ours.”

“He was mine long before he knew you,” the voice says. Vex isn’t sure if Percy’s lips even are moving. “He will always belong to me.”

“He won’t.” Vex says, trying to believe it. “He’ll fight you.  _ We’ll  _ fight you.  _ Percy._” 

Her voice breaks as she screams his name, and for just a second, there’s a flicker of something in his eyes -- for just a second, they are  _ his  _ eyes, not just empty, black, fathomless pits of rage and hatred. He’s in there. He’s fighting. He’s still Percy, somewhere.

Then the flicker is gone, and the darkness returns, along with a deep, mocking laugh. “You would kill your friend to rid him of me?” the voice says. “Seems pointless.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Vex says. They always do. Through stubbornness and luck and sheer stupidity, they always do. She refuses to consider the alternative.

“I very much doubt-”

“Oh,  _ fuck off!” _

She feels the holy arrow in her hand grow warm as she screams, and it’s as though a blast of energy rips through her throat. Percy stumbles backwards, hitting the wall, and the smoke and darkness seems to part around him, streaming off and into the stone. He blinks hard, shaking his head as he looks around, his eyes locking on Vex. They seem clear, but darkness lingers at the edges.

She steps towards him. “Percy,” she says. “Darling. Fight this thing. We’ll fight it with you.  _ Please, _ Percy.”

He blinks one more time, and when he opens his eyes, they are piercingly green and clear and brilliant, and she could weep with relief. 

He takes a step towards her. “Vex,” he says. “What in the -- I heard you.” He’s trembling, swaying on his feet, and Vex hurries to close the distance. “I heard you,” he says again, and then his legs buckle and Vex is barely able to catch him as he falls against her.

“I meant every word,” she says, feeling him warm and solid and so reassuringly  _ human  _ in her arms. “We won’t let him have you -- and we won’t let you fight alone. You’re our family, Percy, do you understand?”

“And family is stronger than a demon pact?” Percy says, the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. 

Vex laughs, almost hysterical. “It had fucking better be,” she says.

“Uh, guys?” The voice is Keyleth’s, high and nervous. “I think we’re about to find out.” 

Vex looks up to see the shadows that had so recently fallen away from Percy now spilling back out of the stone. But this time, they are no longer formless and misty. This time, there is a disturbing solidness to them, as they twist together into arms and legs and torso. Vex’s eyes travel up and up as she feels Percy turn beside her, taking in the creature with her. Ten feet in the air, far too tall for comfort, is a single break in the darkness: a mouth full of gleaming, grinning teeth. And then it roars.

Vex notches her arrow, and combat begins.


End file.
